pleasure of seeing him leave town. and that is the greatest thing for the day. this is msnbc election coverage. this is night one of our 2012 election coverage since voting started today in iowa. >> they are chasing each other's shadows. >> they will vote in virginia. >> for now the president is dominating the old dominion.

>> the polls increingly favor >> i know something about polls. i knoyou n asquon and get any answer you want. >> the calendar is mitt romney oez nemesis. >> we are running out of time. >> people don't trust him. >> h does he turn thishi ar? >> mitt romney has campaigned as many things this election cycle. >> a severely conservati republican governor. >> morning ya'l. han pel. >> i repeal obamacare. >> don't forget, i got everyone in my state insured. >> 100% of kids in my state are insured. >> 40 days to election. >> and he's using this as a badge onor. >>his guy is like a bohe

>> did the republicans nominate the wrong guy? >> do you think a guy like chris christy would be the right guy. >> with 40 days until the eltion and a new poll showing >> with 40 days until the election and a new poll showing president obama leading mitt romneyy fiveoints, la ra ingram refused to participate in a republican battle against the polls. >> i will say that if the romney campaign's numbersere ffert alof tm udf h dre read than the polls in the swing states you would really hear a romney ryan push back against the overall numbers in those battleground states. you don't hear that. i don'thinthey are happy

about it. but i think they believe they are running behind and you are seeing stwea to e roey campaign >> today iowa game the first swing state to start the voting for the president of the united states. the polls he showed president obama up eight points in that state. now suffolk university poll shows the president at 46%. thpresident reminded wwa said. >> i have always said that change takes more than one term or more than one president. it takes more than one party. i can't happen if you ite out

half the nation before you take office. >> i don't know how ma of you out there will be voting for me. but, i'll be fighting for you no matter what. i'm not fighting to create democratic jobs or republican jobs, i'm fighting to create american js. >> today the obama re-election campaign relsed it's third add hitting ttney r ltand lying about 47% of americans. >> 47% of people will vote for the president who are -- believe that they are victims believe the president whare belve they arctbee gnmhathe responsibility to care for them and believe that they are entitled to health care and housing and you name it. my job is not to worry about those people.

>> rush limbaugh is still struggling to find an honest way to defend mitt romney's comments on the 47%. >> obama is saying that 47% of the people are not victims. he is putting wordin romney's mouth. he is taking it out ofonte. >> nerkeouemng victims. here is what mitt romney actually said. >> quote, there are 47% who are with him dependant upon govement who believe that they dat descbeis by former democratic governor of ohio at the democratic national convention. >> mitt romney has so little economic patriotism that eve thisoney needs a passport. it is summers onhe beaes of the caym islan andinte on the slopes of the swiss alps.

barack obama is anconomic patriot. mitt romney is an out sourcing pioneer. >> here is president obama on economic patriotism today. >> during the campaign season you hear a lot about patriotism. you know what? it is time for a new economic patriotism. rooted in the belief that a growing middle class.s with likely voters in new hampshire where mitt romney owns a home. president obama leads mitt romney by seven points. unlikely voters in north carolina president obama polls at 48% and mitt roey at %.

is there any point to team obama making any adds for the rest of the campaign that not include a renc there should be temporary tattoos with the number 47% that everybody wears on their foreheads on every campaign rally. this hadroved to be beyond a turning point in the campaign. it has been devaating for tt romney. he has been on the record talking about dismissing half the country. you know, it is, it is in some ways, i would say this. as someone that believes that

there need to be a point and counter point it is a avesty for the republic party, it is evidence of a party that is at war with itself. it is you know an example of how weak the gop has gotten on fundamental issues that are at the root of conservativism and a tragedy in the long-term. you just saw lau ingram give up. they are n all giving up. find thaguwihe polls fascinating. there is an industry that has now grown up around poll denials. i remember the winning dayof the 2004 campaign. voraciously consuming any blog post that told me it was wrong.

across spectrum to find goodness and confirmation bias. but it is so striking, the amount of institution al incentives to encourage that instink. it is so flattered with money and attention. what we are seeing with this campaign is that in sting k consuming the republican party. all of these things th they thghul ivihe republican ticket. these things become national themes and it turns out that the american public is not that receptive to themes that emanate right wing blog comments. >> the concern about how cell phones figure into this. it was a legitimate concern

because it was aegitimate factor. >> it is like the gop understands that mitt romney was not doing well. they were building him a house to walk into. thereforhe lost. it jonathan explains it in new york magazine. it is approach to polling and the magazine. >> the economic misery, that i intensely felt in certain parts of the country. thmnamn t a campaign around the fact that they were a deciding factor. and urns out that the ecomy is bad ia more complicated way and is getting better in a way that i think americans feel more intensely than a lot of political commentators are.

>> it is not a thumbs up or thumbs down. >> it turns up the american public is more reformed about it's views. >> the editorial board has weighed in on this. thcampgn acknoedgeat cr b bore ama took office. it has nothing to say about what bush era republicans have gone wrong. that impress lends kre dense to obama's attempts as running for bu's third tm. >> and half of romney's staff is former bushies. the relationship to the george w. bush era is very uncomfortable. there are no new ideas there. the fact that ey haven't msune lacy w to get their

given the fact that there is a bear hug around the policies, one thing that i think is going on is, they -- theres a limit to how stupid they want to look. i think some of them want to be able to say the day after the electi. okwh sd inctober.. and in september. i told you if romney doesn't talk about what he is going to do, then he is in trouble. they are trying to put their markers down. al t cns s monthly premiums on the insurance policy. they are getting attacked. they are putting down premiums

so they could purchase the insurance. the ideas when there is a battle after words a lot could happn ays. gr c et torrow and it looks different and we are at this table in a week. >> they are projecting forward a romney loss and trying to prefight the battle over the reason that it hapned. let's not forget. paul ryan voted for all of that. he voted for medicare part d prescription drug benefit which has cost mey that was not paid uln d it >> thank you both for joining me tonight. >> coming up. team romney is praising president obama now. they are, weill show you why thre dnganazdd

aiken. mitt romney was in favor of the vietnam war and the draft that sent americans to their death but he was not in favor observing in vietnam himself. he wasaught a lesson said abouthmoraty of s nddu tie period by a veteran of that war who taught him a lesson about the people romney thinks of as the takers he thinks are dependant on government. that is comingp. [ horse neighs ]

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why is tearomney sudnly praising team obama? t ginouy romney world is suddenly praising obama. the answer coming up next. there are 47% of the people that vote for the president. 47%% that are with him and amerans believe they should be in chargof their own future. w r more than 116 years, ameriprise financial has worked for their clients' futures. helping millions of americans retire on their terms. when they want. where they want. doing what they want. ameriprise. thstrength of a leader in retirement planning. together for your future.

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>> the romney debate team has six dayso figure out what mitt romney haso abouhis % ents fide istix day as way. as team romney privately obsesses now on how to handle that 47% question, they are as team romney privately obsesses now on how to handle bl rg enn uestion, they are praise, praise of president obama. they say he is quote universally

acclaimed and ote natural gifts and extensive seasong and is quote uniquely gifted and is quote one of e mo talented political communicators and are trying to lower expectations to the point where if he can stay standing for the viy.inutes it will be considered >> crystal ball, the president will not be allowed to speak for the full 90 minutes of the debate. suly jim will get something in thto >> crystal ball, the president will not be allowed to speak for the full 90 minutes of the te.

surely jim will get something in there too. possibly we could expect a 30 minute attack add? you never know. maybe they should put that in e s th predentou ry ngsatef anything. i suspect that is not what they are going to do. he has ahallenge to come in and not look scared or defensive. he has to be cool and calm and atthmostor tng for him. if he looks skiddish. those optics will be the most devastating thing for him. yould ink ul a the pressure would be on the incumbent to defend the last four years in office. but in this debate, it is clear

that 100% is on how does mitt romney handle the 47question? >> i agree with ystal to put therheec voters are sitting with their back toward the stage. the voice and he has to be strong and have an answer. the problem he has is which every way he turns he loses a piece of the argument. romney igoing to lose a piece where he turns. one that he has us befe, to say look, i care about the 100%. look at what i did in massachusetts with romney care. if he give that is answer, he loses the strength of the argument. i thhe ty that like o choice. the president, when the

president in 2008 was overheard at a fundraiser talking about people clinging to funs and religion that people shorthand thinks in debates and in private. not contract the text of the actual words he used. that is right. there is no response that will not contradict the text of the actual words he used. that is right. there is no ability to actually get out of that box and i think his best attempt is what he put si rehis add. he cares for the middle class i do too. >> let's listen to what peggy noonan had to say about romney's possibilities.

>> let's listen to what peggy noonan had to say about romney's possibilities. >>hie s a anceo no not likability and all that dumb stuff. he happens to be on stage with a guy who has been the president. wi trentead th bi, can't dismiss librariability. where would president obama be in the polls today? >> stewart, first of all, i talked not long ago to stewart stephens.

where would president obama be in the polls today? >> stewart, first of all, i ta notong o totewa stephens. they want to make this an extended conversation. there are four debates. they may be hopihere civo n. so they care a whole lot about these debates. i think what they have to do is not worry so much about the likability factor. what she means by height and hest don't know. the trees are the rit size. thiss thone me wre mitt romney can confront the president. heas to say to the president ok, you have failed, you have

failed as the economic commander and chief, here is why you have failed and here is why i would be better at the job. that is what the es sen of what he has to do and winning the likability game he will never do. he is going to be the dork from the beginning to end. i'm not that charming perhaps. i don't always say things the t asroint quote from behind closed doors but i know how to fix the economy. >> i have no doubt that president obama will be a better defenderf that record. thank you both vy much for joining me tonight >> coming up. i hate to say i told you so especially on this one.

but, as predicted here, republican money is flowing back into todd aikin's crazy senate campaign and he is saying crazy thin and in the rewrite tonight the oblivious mr. romney isaught a lesson about w the takers are in this country. empu. [ male announcer ] why not talk to someone who owns an adjustable version of thmost highly recommended bed in america? ask me about my tempur advanced ergo. goes up. goes up. ask me what is like to get a massage anytime you want. goes down. goes d leour tempuredic brand ners are more satisfied than owners of any traditional mattress brand. ergonomics. [ male announcer ] tempur-pedic. the most highly recommended bed in america. [ female announcer ] for more information or to find a retailer near you, visit tempurpedicom.

it is a problem. a republican problem. the voter fraud that has been fod in florida is as a result a publan p v registration drive which of course fradlently registered voters. j 'rli bg. inoring. [ jack ] after lauren broke up with me, i went to the citi private pass page and decided to be...not boring.

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[ laughing ] lin [ laughing ] ♪ in the spotlight tonight todd aiken. i thinwe have very clear path to victory and apparently claire mccas kill thinks we do to. because she was very aggressive in the debate. i think that is because she feels threatened. aiken said wow, it is like somebody let a wild kate out of the ge. wafurianattaing. let's see how wild she got at

the beginning of the debate. >> thank you to the press association and thank you to >> thank you to the press association and thank you to both todd and jonathan for being here today. this is going to be a contrast for most misurians. we are in the middle. but he is so far on the french. there have been many comments de that i find unacceptable.

but his views wille painful for families. used to be much more lady like. i don't know what has happened to her. >> she did have a way of shutting done. thank you todd wasn't ladylike enough in this debate. >> so, i'm glad we are not in that world. hehen thpolls. but todd aiken was a person she wanted to run against. >> we will not support this toikasersh wanted to run against. >> we will not support this

candidate. , ons e o knows, there wasn't actually any outrage about the terrible things he said. there s a ncthat it would look bad. i think it is funny. they were hoping to drive him

out and get a better candidate. but they still want to bomb her with money. >> the part of it that is striking is you hear so many calls for democrats to distance themselves from the most random people. this is the guy running for the partseat and he is showing a flare and a coitme tha shou outge pple. >> what else did you know? todd aiken wants to end federal student loans too. calls them a cancer. these adds and claire mccas kill has one that is similar. you do learn things about him.

but in 3seconds you can learn h hryf saying crazy things. comparing schip for children to the tanic. the guy, is nuts.

there is a double standard. to succeed in the mid western or southern state. it reminds me of a little bit around the frustration of our first black president. >> i would say she doesn't seem to be tougher than other senators. there is a double standard. tough has never been used for a male politician.

>> thank you both for joining me tonight. coming up. happens may have gotten proof. there is a criminal investigation into a republican vor registtion drive in florida. and in the rewrite. mitt romney wants to be the commander and chief in the military that he refused to serve in. but he would be the first president who protested in favor of the war of his era and protested in favor of the aft of that war while evading that draft himself and refusing to serve in that war. if we want to improve our schools... ...what shouldinvest in?

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we got a lot of tweets from viewers that noticed we did not have the blog up today. nate silver is showing an 84% ch oest ine election. a 16% chance for mitt romney a new lofor mitt romney. bags, a crash management system and the world's only tridion safety cell which can withstand over three and a half tons. small in size. big on safety.

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in tonight's rewrite. ry ta we heard what he thinks of 47% of us. that he thinks of us as takers dependant on government. here is a picture of him in 1968. that is mitt romney on a beach taken a special draft deferment. there he is, the very picture of abfiousness to the fact that while he was playing in the sand on french beaches, beaches where 2500mericans died in one day on world war ii, thousands and ousas ofngri h

age were dying in vietnam for a foolish war that american he was on its way to losing that the young mr. romney fully supported. he also supported the draft and participated in what might be the only college demonstration in hisry in favor of the draft. but he was not in favor of being drafted hielf. idwao hind dirty in the ment. he was in favor of his college classmates dying but not him. millions of us protested against tar trail clinton did everything he could to avoid the draft without the benefit that mitt romney enjoyed.

but heidn'wantonto g to that war. he didn't force others to go to vietnam to die in his place. like mitt romney was. young american men had terrible choices to make in those days. protest the war or serve in the war. protest the draft or avoid the draft or flee the cotry or go to prison in defiance of the draft. going to war was not the only raceed meace then. one of those choices.

the amorality of mitt romney's choice was something that i had never heard of. i disnot know that there was a single american man who publicly protested in favor of the war and protested in favor of the draft and then evaded that draft himself and then sat i'dly by, played in the sand of fren heilpeing other young american men his age to go to vietnam in his place. mitt romney thinks of people taking veteran's benefits as dedapts on government. inks of them as the takers. we could have had 48,000 more of those takers if they hadn't been kied in vietnam when mitt romney was playing on the beach. mr. romney was rinded of that

today. ndha aishe and sons did not sve in the wars of their era. he was reminded of that by a man whose family has done the opposite. in virginia today, center wepp said this good the people that mitt romney thinks of as takers. >> i grew up in the military. my dad was a pilot and i was a marine. my brother and son was a marine.

i've worked on veteran's issues all of my adult life. governor romney and i are right about the same age young guys. like millions we came to adulthood facing the reali of the war. 2.7 million wept to war. took the lives of young americans and cost 300,000 wounds. vietnam, 1969 our country lost twice as many dead as we have lost in iraq afghanistan combined over the past ten years of war. 68 was worse and 67 was the same. and there was not a day that goes by that io nothink

abthunrith was privileged to lead. they have lived lives of courage both in combat and after their return. many of th we derided by r pefovi served. but in receiving veteran's benefits they are not takers they are givers inhe ultate sense of the word. there is a saying, all gave some, some gave all. it is a heart of a tradition of the freedom and independence. thaithiresme through wounds and disabilities. not only did they pay, they will

nosay , awe they are owed. [ applause ] at least a mention, thanks respect when a man makes a speech accepting hisarty's nonatio comndern chief. i'm so g lad you called. thank you. we're not in london, are we? no. why? apparently my debit card is. what? i know. don't worry, we have cancelled your old card. great. thk you. in addition to us monitoring ur accounts fornual actit c ase eaccount alerts. okay.

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here is a memo, showing an since 2008 at least 15 states

have passed tighter id laws. turns out that one case of voter fraud is being investigated. its fraud by and for the republican party tonight. they had to fire a consulting firm it paid millions of dollars to after seficials flagged forms as fraudulent. local prosecutors are investigating the matter and say the cases could be turned over to the califora department. alleged fraud is the work of just a few bad apples. youe sinis florida case. there is a fame case. he was with me working on the campaign side.

what they were accused of in 2004 is sending out register to he if you check off register me as a republican. they turn it in. >> if he check democrat? d mpe on em. he said they were separating the ballots and democrats were showing up to the polls in 2004 in florida to find out that they were not ready to vote. >> it never happened. e bu jusce dartmt

never did anything about it. in florida there are types that have been caught and pending prosecutor. there are the falsefication of signatures. that has been caught. it has only been republicans. wh you say you registered to aouerlld. they left it out and there are two lawsuits pending that could over turn the mayor's race because people million dollars out their ballots for them. it is just not in person. >> tim made the point that if republicans believe that 47% of the vote is locked in, ignoring them isn't enough. >> mdeate republicans get, the more likely we are to see them take people out their ballots for em. itjuotpe. >> tim made the point that if